


Finding Lost Friends

by AtropaDesideria



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Cemetery, Fluff and Angst, Ghosts, Laven Halloween 2018, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 06:22:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16470389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtropaDesideria/pseuds/AtropaDesideria
Summary: Sometimes you find new friends in the oddest of places. One of those places just might happen to be a graveyard full of ghosts.





	Finding Lost Friends

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for the Laven Halloween 2018 event, run by KittyBandit on the Laven Discord server and Laven Lovers Tumblr blog. 
> 
> Prompt: Haunted Houses; Graveyards

Lavi came here often. He liked to wander amongst the quiet graves and read the inscriptions, wondering what the daily routines of the people buried there had been like when they were still alive. He paced back and forth along the smoothly paved paths while the autumn wind shook the brightly colored leaves on the trees.

There was a new one. It was freshly dug, just buried today. Underneath the cool earth, rested a fallen soldier. He was a young one too, judging by the dates listed. Fate was cruel—his life had ended before it had even began.

That was the way life worked, though. Lavi knew that all too well. No matter how one lived, and no matter what their dreams and desires were, everyone would face death at some point. The thought filled him with a sense of melancholy.

He needed something less morbid to invest his time in. If he didn't find a new hobby soon, he'd end up like his old man before him, stuck keeping watch over this place all alone until someone else came along to take on the responsibility. The idea made him cringe. Yeah, he really needed something else to do, or at least a friend to keep him from being bored out of his mind.

As if his prayers for company had been heard by God, a figure came stumbling into view. Otherworldly white hair fell over a panicked face. From the looks of him, the stranger didn't seem like the type to visit this place on purpose, especially not so close to dusk.

He had likely gotten lost travelling towards whatever destination he was supposed to be headed. Lavi leaned against a tree, taking a better look at him. Dressed in a dirty brown coat riddled with holes, he was a walking mess.

“Wherever you're trying to get to, I'll wager it isn't here,” Lavi said, putting on a friendly smile.

Noticing Lavi for the first time, the mysterious young man locked eyes with him, fear and relief both etched on his features. “You… you're not a ghost are you?”

“A ghost?” Lavi asked, raising an eyebrow. “That's a silly question. You should know the answer to it.”

“It's not silly! I just ran into one a few minutes ago, and I can't tell who's what anymore. I'm not making this up, I swear.”

Lavi believed him about the ghost, wondering who it could have been that he ran into. Over three-hundred people were buried there, so there were plenty of names to choose from. Not to mention, the list of potential suspects got even bigger if you took into account all the people that died in the areas close by.

“I believe you. I didn't mean to sound like a jerk. I just don't get why you're running around the graveyard, playing hide and seek with ghosts.”

“I'm not playing around. I ended up here on accident.”

Lavi chuckled, realizing his hunch had been spot-on. “I guess you'll need my assistance then. My name's Lavi. What's yours?”

“I'm Allen.”

“Allen? Ah… I see,” Lavi said, taking a step closer to him. “So, what _does_ bring you here, Allen?”

“I… I think I'm lost.”

Lavi snorted. “I can see that.”

“Are you just going to make fun of me, or are you actually going to help?” Allen asked, frowning.

Lavi had to admit he felt somewhat bad for Allen. As inconvenient as the situation was, he was lost and scared in an unfamiliar place. The least Lavi could do was help him find his way. He'd feel like a true asshole otherwise.

He held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry, sorry. I'm really not trying to make fun of you. I will help you if you want.”

“Thank you. I'm probably taking you away from whatever it is you were doing here,” Allen said, glancing around them, “but I'd appreciate any help you could give me.”

“It's not a problem. Honestly. I was just admiring the inscriptions on the gravestones.”

“Are you a historian or something?”

“Hmm. I had wanted to follow that line of work, but I gave up that dream a long time ago.”

“Oh, sorry,” Allen said, awkwardly sliding his fingers through his messy hair.

“It happens. Now let's figure out where you're headed.”

“Right. Well, I was headed that way,” Allen explained, pointing in the direction of a cluster of trees. “I thought it would be quicker to go through here.”

“That's vague. Is that all you have to go by?”

“I'm trying to go see my father. I just arrived back in town and that's where he lives.”

That information wasn't quite as helpful as Lavi had hoped. “Do you have an address?”

The blank expression on Allen's face told him the answer was “no”. It seemed that they would have to play it by ear, and hope for the best. He started heading off in the direction Allen hinted at, knowing he would follow without having to be told.

Sure enough, Allen remained close by as they made their way over the grass covered earth. It had grown dark and they crashed into each other every so many feet, with Allen repeatedly walking right into him.

“I get you aren't as used to this as me, but please pay attention. You hit me in the side with your elbow like five times already,” Lavi said, grabbing Allen by the arm in an attempt to help steady him.

“You're walking too fast. What if a ghost pops up while you're in front of me?”

Lavi let out an exasperated sigh. It was going to be a long night if they kept up at the pace they were going, and the graveyard wasn't even _that_ big for crying out loud. He decided to try a different tactic, hoping it would be enough to calm Allen. It could be risky if Allen reacted badly, yet it was worth a shot.

He offered him his hand. “If you're going to keep falling into me, why don't we just hold hands? That way I can't walk too fast.”

“I guess. If you're comfortable with it,” Allen said, turning his face away, and taking Lavi’s hand.

Lavi managed to catch the bashful expression that spread over Allen's features before he had to chance to hide it. The sudden change in emotion amused him. He hadn't really had to chance to get a close look at his face before thanks to how frustrated he was with the situation, so he took the chance to study him.

Allen was handsome, with pale gray eyes and a mouth that looked like it would be a delight to explore. If he had to hold someone's hand in the dark, he was glad it was Allen's. They continued onwards, this time with less issues.

The sound of crickets and owls hooting created a natural night time melody and it didn't take long for Allen's nerves to calm, much to Lavi’s relief. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the new situation, taking the opportunity to lean into Lavi every time they paused to get their bearings.

Lavi couldn't help the smug grin that formed on his face. It had been a long time since he was close to someone like that, so it was good to see his ability to charm others hadn't wasted away due to him becoming a social recluse. Either that, or he was unknowingly playing the role of a big brother figure. He much preferred the first possibility.

“So, you said you just returned to town. Do you live here, or are you just visiting your dad?”

“I move around a lot due to work, so my home tends to change. Father had a room set up for me in his old house so that I can sleep there whenever I want.”

“What's his house like?” Lavi asked, more to keep to conversation going than out of genuine interest to learn about the house's features.

“It's nice for a house in the city. It's close to City Hall, so the neighborhood can get noisy, though.”

If Lavi remembered correctly, City Hall was in an entirely different direction. “If we're going to visit your father, wouldn't he be that way?” Lavi asked, steering them around to face the correct direction of City Hall.

“No. I'm certain it's this way,” Allen insisted, tugging at Lavi’s arm and pulling them back in the direction they were originally headed.

Lavi relented, figuring he hadn't any better clue where they were actually supposed to be going than Allen did. If they went if the wrong direction, they'd just have to back track. Why not? It's not like he had anything better to do.

He allowed Allen to take the lead, and soon he began to understand the reason for all the confusion as they stopped in front of a particular grave. Despite being dark, the night sky was clear, allowing the light of the moon to illuminate the headstone. The name inscribed on it read “Mana Walker”, and underneath it was a epitaph regarding his life.

Allen pulled his hand free from Lavi’s and fell to his knees in front of the headstone. “I was supposed to meet him here, but I didn't get the chance to plan it all out, so they weren’t able to add another plot,” he said, his lips quivering ever so slightly.

“Is that why you're over there with the other soldiers?”

“Yeah.”

“You knew all along, yet you still act like you're afraid of ghosts?” Lavi asked, both puzzled by the turn of events, and concerned for Allen's ability to rationalize things.

“I've always been bothered by ghosts ever since I was little. That's not something that changes so easily.”

Lavi could give him that. It was normal that not everyone adjusted to the changes as quickly as others. Just the fact that he had managed to deal with them as calmly he did was an amazing feat in itself. Most people tended to flip out and beg to go home—to see their loved ones just one last time.

Some of them even grieved their loss so much that they tethered themselves to their old homes or surviving loved ones indefinitely, becoming somewhat of a nuisance. Allen hadn't done any of that. He just kept walking forward, seemingly indifferent to his fate.

Then again, it didn't seem like that kind of thing would matter much to him, considering where they were. If this was the first place he came after dying, then he most likely didn't have anyone important waiting for him back in the land of the living anyway.

“I don't think he's here,” Lavi said, trailing his fingers over the headstone. “His energy signal is already faded. He probably moved on already.”

“Moved on?”

“Heaven, The Summerlands, Reincarnation, whatever you want to call it. It's the next step in our journey. No one really knows where it is, but when the time comes, we all go there.”

“Everyone? Then I'll be able to go too?”

“Yeah. As long as there isn't anything holding you back, you shouldn't have a problem. Most people who are ready only hang around a few days at most.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Far longer than you. I stopped counting when my own headstone started sinking into the mud from all the rain. No one ever bothered to fix it so I gave up on trying to remember.”

“That's kind of sad. Your family didn't care?”

“Like you, my only family passed on before me.”

“I see,” Allen said, adjusting his body so that he sat instead of kneeled. “Why haven't you moved on yet?”

“I made a deal with my gramps that I'd stay and watch over this place. Some people call me ‘The Gravekeeper’, others call me ‘The Guardian’.”

If Allen had ever heard of the terms, he didn't show any signs of recognition. Instead, he just sat there and stared at his father's grave. His gray eyes seemed so sad and lifeless, it took everything Lavi had not to reach out and pull him into a hug.

“What about you? They should be calling you right about now. Will you go to them?”

Allen turned his confused gaze towards Lavi. “Huh? No one is calling me.”

That was unusual. If Allen truly had no ties left to his old life, then there shouldn't be anything holding him back from moving on. His guides should be on their way to take him away right about now. Was it possible that something else was keeping him trapped there?

Lavi joined Allen in sitting on the ground. “You don't hear them? At all? What about the light? Do you see it?”

“The only light I see is from the moon.”

“Oh.” It seemed Allen really was stuck.

He was trapped there like Lavi, in the space between worlds. As the guardian of the graveyard, it was his duty to take care of the spirits who roamed the area and see to it that that they were able to cross over safely. It appeared he would have to further extend his help to Allen until he was able to move on of his own accord.

“Well, this is unexpected, but it shouldn't be an issue. It just means we'll have the opportunity to get better acquainted while we figure out how to solve your problem,” Lavi said, stretching out his legs and flopping back so that he was lying against the cold dirt.

“Will it take long?” Allen asked, gazing up at the stars as if they somehow held the answer to all his problems.

Lavi rolled over to face Allen, his heart filling with an emotion he hadn't experienced in at least a few decades. “Not sure, but we have all of eternity ahead of us to figure it out so there's no need to rush.”

No, there wasn't any need to rush at all. It had been far too long since Lavi had any kind of long lasting company. This was an opportunity that begged to be explored as his unbeating heart cried out in protest at the idea of being abandoned again.

He'd get Allen where he was meant to go. Lavi would promise him that. He just needed a little time. Just enough time for him to feel something, _anything_ , again, even if only for a short while. Was that too much to ask?

“I guess that's true. Mana will still be waiting for me no matter how long it takes. I know he will, so a little extra time here won't hurt,” Allen said, fully unaware of how much his agreement meant to Lavi.

Fate was a cruel thing, but sometimes it was also merciful. On some rare, unexpected occasions, it could even bring about something good. Whether, or not it was just wishful thinking on his part, Lavi could only hope fate was taking pity on them this once. Even so, only time would tell for certain.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
